Alberta churches respond to RCMP tragedy
MAYERTHORPE, AB—The pastors and congregations of various churches in this area are playing an important role in assisting the stunned residents of this community following the March 3 murders of four RCMP officers near the tiny hamlet of Rochfort Bridge, 150 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
Four young officers were gunned down by James Roszko, a local oilfield worker with a history of animosity toward police who then turned the gun on himself. The police were visiting Roszko's acreage to investigate reports of stolen vehicles and a marijuana grow operation on the property.
On the Sunday evening following the tragedy, Whitecourt Baptist Church (NAB) was packed for a candlelight memorial for Constables Leo Johnston, Peter Schiemann and Brock Myrol of the Mayerthorpe RCMP detachment and their colleague, Constable Anthony Gordon of the Whitecourt detachment.
"In the immediate aftermath of the horror, we began asking God what role we could play," pastor George Ridley told ChristianWeek. "One of the men in our church called that evening and suggested we hold a prayer service as an opportunity for people to come together to derive strength from one another and from the Lord."
Almost 400 people showed up for the emotional service where various pastors led prayers for the families of the slain officers and, as well, for the extended family of the gunman.
"One of Mr. Roszko's sisters recently made a profession of faith in Christ at a Bible study sponsored by our church," Ridley said. "Consequently, we felt a responsibility to reach out with Christ's love to his family members who were absolutely repulsed by the events of March 3."
To Ridley's associate, Mayerthorpe pastor Ed Broadway, fell the unenviable task of conducting the funeral service for Roszko.
"My calling is to minister to all people, to anyone who needs help," said Broadway. In a conversation with ChristianWeek, Broadway noted that when he graduated from Bible college, the theme of his graduating class was "Servants Unto All." "My mandate throughout the years has been to minister the healing power of Christ's love to any person in need, regardless of the circumstances," he says.
"Roszko's immediate family was horrified by his actions. Because I am committed to ministering to the living regardless of extenuating circumstances, I simply attempted to be Christ's representative to this hurting family."
Ridley said that for some time now, his congregation has been talking about undertaking some form of ministry in the Rochfort Bridge area where no evangelical church presently exists.
"Several months ago, God directed our attention to someone in that region who is interested in starting a Bible study or a church there, but wants to do it under the umbrella of an established church. Our thought is that perhaps God can use the unsettling nature of this horror to call people's attention to the reality that none of us know what any given day is going to bring our way, and that some will seek Christian fellowship.
"Wouldn't it be something to rejoice over," Ridley asked, "if a church could be established in that area as a result of people turning to faith in Christ following this terrible event? We'd like to ask Christians across Canada to join us in praying to that end.
"Although it is still too early to know exactly what good will come out of what seems to us to be a senseless act, we want to make use of every opportunity God sends our way to be his agents of healing in this devastated community."
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